Candied Jalapeños

Wash canning jars in hot soapy water. Prepare an extra jar or two over the yield, in case you have more than you expect.

Sterilize the jars by submerging them in water in a large pot (or water bath canner), bringing them up to a boil, and keeping them at a boil for 10 minutes. Then keep them warm until ready to fill. You can either keep them in the water (bringing it down to a simmer) until you are ready to fill them — at that time remove them with a jar lifter and drain each jar individually — or you can keep them in the oven, at 250 degrees (remove the jars from the water bath after boiling and place them on a baking sheet and keep them in the oven until ready to be filled).

Prepare the rings and lids by placing them in a small saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring them to a bare simmer, cover the pan, turn off the heat and let them sit until ready to use. Be careful not to boil the lids, as it can cause the seals to break down.

Bring your water bath up to a boil (you’ll have leftover water from the sterilization process, but you may need to add more to ensure that you’ll have enough water to cover the jars by 1 to 2 inches).

In a preserving pot set over medium-high heat, bring the apple cider vinegar and sugar to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

Add the jalapeño pepper slices to the pot. Turn up the heat and bring the pot back up to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer 4 minutes.

Set out the warm jars, and use a slotted spoon to transfer the jalapeno peppers into the jars to within ¼ inch of the tops. (Keep the remaining syrup in the pot.)

Heat the pot on medium-high heat, and bring the syrup to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 6 minutes. (The syrup should reach about 220 degrees.)

Ladle the boiling syrup into the jars over the jalapeño slices, distributing equally among the jars. Insert a chopstick (or a small icing spatula), into the bottom of the jar two or three times to release any trapped pockets of air. Adjust the level of the syrup if necessary, to keep the jars full to within ¼ inch from the tops.

Use a lint-free cloth dipped in clean water to wipe the top of the jars, and then apply the lids and rings. Tighten rings only to “fingertip tightness,” which means do not tighten too much, but tighten enough to be snug. Air needs to be able to escape the inside of the jar.

Load the filled and covered jars upright into the water bath. Bring the water bath back up to a boil and process for 15 minutes. Begin timing after a full, rolling boil has returned.

Turn off the heat and remove the jars (with tongs or jar lifter) to a towel-lined counter top. Listen for the lids to “ping,” which will happen as the jars begin to cool and the seals are formed. Do not touch or disturb the jars until they are completely cool (12 to 24 hours).

Remove the rings from the jars and check the seals. The lids should not buckle up and down and you should be able to lift each jar carefully by its lid only. Store the jars in a cool dark place (without the rings on) for up to one year.

Note: Don’t forget that jalapeños pack some heat, so there are some precautionary measures you may want to consider. While slicing the jalapeños, you might want to wear plastic or rubber gloves — the heat can irritate your skin. Also make sure to work in a well-ventilated area when preparing this recipe.